Please Help ! Locksmith?

[Jack18]

First of sorry if ive posted in the wrong section, im new
If possible im looking for abit of advice, im 18 and live in S.E London and am not sure if i should train to become a locksmith or not. I think i would find it very interesting etc.. But is it a good career to get into? Will i be able to get work or are there to many locksmiths around? I would try to cover all aspects, especially the vehicle as i have been working on cars for quite a while (The key prgramming side). If i am fortunate enough to get work, is the pay good?

Any advice / information anyone can give would be muchly appreciated,
Thanks Alot,
Jack

 

[Jack18]

anyone?:redface:

 

[kirkscoobz197]

Jack18,
Well for a start, you are looking into the job front of a locksmith which is good, but today there are so many locksmiths out there, it not the days of the old school locksmiths as they say when there were only a handle full, today there are many thousends with more every day.

But saying that, if you live in area that you know is busy and has a lot of trade and houseing you may do well.

Start up costs are not cheap, i.e. - tools and lock stock, advertiseing etc.

If you need to know more about anything come onto this site, i am a member there and the guy who owns the sites will help, he is an ok guy and knows his stuff.

thelocksmithtrainingcompany co uk - just type this and join.


Look forward to seeing you there.

 

[CCF Lettings]

Jack, im sure the locksmith training would be interesting its also a job which holds much responsibility as im sure they dont just tell anyone how to open locks etc. Someone raised an interesting idea with me a while back now regarding locksmiths and that was everytime he needed a key cut he would forget to take the key or couldnt find the time and how useful it would be to have a mobile key cutting service, i think this could be a great USP if you were to set up your own locksmith business beside sthe normal everyday locksmith jobs have a mobile key cutting service even to the point were on quiet days you cold call asking if any one wants keys cut you can buy second hand machinary fairly cheaply good luck

 

[Tej]

Speak to a member here.. Lockie... he is also based in SE London I believe..

He is very good and in my opinion will be best to guide you..

HTH

 

[Tej]

just noticed.. Jack posted in November...
Maybe he is all sorted

 

[amanda1112]

My business partner is a locksmith and his turnover is approx £74k and he is so busy that he has to turn work away. I would say get some training and go for it. Expect to pay upto £10k for car key cutting equipment as there are special codes to put into them. Its all very sophisticated stuff. Good luck

 

[bobsmithpremierlocksmiths]

As a locksmith we find competition stiff, in the old days we used to work in our town, now days we have to go outside the town.

 

[Naval]

Einstein once said: "if only I had known, I'd have become a locksmith" that seems a good recommendation to me?

 

[alockout]

Hi.
I have been in the industry for many years, and the market is flooding with locksmiths, do you research very carefully before investing as a locksmith, all the schools will give you the dream, but believe me it takes years of hard work, and skill to survive, i am a safe engineer, so dont do much of the NDE of lock picking. but when i was learing of my dad, and his dad, who were also locksmiths and safe engineers, there was a lot of work around and less schools, how can anyone go on a 2 day course and expect to gain the skill that takes years too perfect..

 

[DorsetLockDoctor]

how can anyone go on a 2 day course and expect to gain the skill that takes years too perfect

You cant, but everyone has to start somewhere, you learn what you need to learn, pick up some basics, and get an insight into what is involved, then you do a lot of hard graft yourself turning your basic grounding into a working job. It is hard - but it is fun. And yes it is expensive to start up, especially if you intend to go the auto route.

Not everyone starts their job by being bought up into a family business.

In every forum to do with locksmithing (bar one) that I have been onto - most members are of no help to a beginner and seem to exist just for the purpose of warning newcomers off and making it blindingly obvious they dont want any competition. That and to sell their own 2 day courses of course . . .

As regards Kirks post above and his recommendation - I used that company, and theirs is the most helpful and honest forum out there in my opinion.